DHS, Transportation Updates, Agriculture Day

OLA Report Finds DHS Failed to Fight Fraud

Recently, the Office of the Legislative Auditor (OLA) released a fraud report, which found that the Department of Human Services (DHS) had full authority to cease payment to suspected criminals, yet failed to do so. The report specifically dealt with fraud in Minnesota's Early Intensive Developmental and Behavioral Intervention (EIDBI) Medicaid program, which was primarily intended to help children with autism. EIDBI claims skyrocketed from $1 million in 2017 to over $343 million by 2024.

Despite this highly suspicious increase in claims of over 34,000%, DHS continued to send payments to these fraudulent "providers." When questioned by legislators, DHS officials have repeatedly stated that they did not have legal authority to cut off payments. Instead, DHS leadership has continually attempted to pass blame onto Attorney General Ellison for not doing enough to prosecute fraudsters. The OLA report disproved this excuse and showed that DHS has had the authority all along to stop fraud from occurring, yet failed to do so.

Passing the Office of the Inspector General bill will go a long way to combat fraud in Minnesota, making sure that the defiance shown by DHS and AG Ellison can never happen again. I am pleased to inform you that, after weeks of DFL attempts to stall the bill, it has finally made forward progress through various House committees.

I look forward to keeping you updated as events unfold.

Transportation Committee Updates

DFL Unanimously Blocks Car Tab Fee Reduction:

Following a recent comment by Rep. Meg Luger-Nikolai (D-Saint Paul) that she wishes to "quintuple!" your car tab fees, we had a hearing on a Republican bill that would have reduced your car tab fees back to what they were prior to the DFL Trifecta fee spike. This week, the bill was unanimously voted down by DFL members of the Transportation Committee. However, I will not stop pushing for its passage. Next year, House Republicans will be introducing equivalent legislation, as Minnesota drivers deserve a break on these out-of-control fees.

Autonomous Vehicle Rollout: 

We continue to advocate for the legalization of autonomous vehicles in Minnesota. Roughly half of all states have already legalized their operation, and many with great success. Consumers love them for their ability to increase access to transportation at affordable prices. However, as with any major legislation, special interest groups creep in and bad policy threatens to stifle innovation. For instance, the Senate recently heard a DFL bill that would require a person to be sitting in the driver's seat of all autonomous vehicles being used for commercial purposes. Imagine getting into an autonomous taxi, and there is a guy sitting in the driver's seat scrolling on his phone and collecting money, all while the vehicle drives itself to your destination! I am committed to keeping Minnesotans up to speed with current innovation and keeping transportation fast and affordable.

Bus Provider Consolidation: 

Though most Twin Cities busing needs are covered by Metro Transit, there are currently four "opt-out" busing providers operating suburban routes to and from Minneapolis and St. Paul. This system has been in place for decades, and the four opt-out providers include Minnesota Valley Transit Authority, SouthWest Transit, Maple Grove Transit, and Plymouth Metrolink. The problem we face is that each of these opt-out providers has its own administrative overhead. Likewise, they are operating routes that are underused and over-subsidized by taxpayers, with subsidies for some routes reaching as high as $200 per passenger, per ride! House Republicans are driving legislation that will consolidate the opt-out carriers back under the administrative umbrella of Metro Transit, saving Minnesota taxpayers over $50 million per budget cycle, while still providing high-quality busing services.

Interested in learning more about these important issues?

Click HERE to watch our recent Transportation Committee Press Conference.

Thank You For Visiting

This was an especially busy week for visitors at the State Capitol, and I was honored to speak with many of you who came down to visit me in Saint Paul.

I would like to extend a special thank you to all of the Minnesota farmers who came down for Agriculture Day on the Hill to advocate for policies that will have positive impacts on Minnesota farming families. 

This year, my primary agricultural focus is the passage of HF2878, which is my bill to authorize owners of commercial feed licenses to employ veterinarians. This legislation is critical for alleviating the veterinarian shortage that has become an increasing problem for Greater Minnesota.

If you have any questions or priorities that you wish to communicate to me, I encourage you to reach out via email or phone. I also make a special effort to meet with all constituents who make the drive to the State Capitol, so please let me know if you are planning to come down. I would love to speak with you and your family about the priorities most important to you.

I will be back in district next week to spend time with loved ones as we head into Easter. I wish you and your family a wonderful Holy Week, and I hope to see you around town!

Tom Murphy

MN State Representative District 9B

Proudly Serving Otter Tail and Douglas Counties

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